The Dawn of Everything - in India

 At the Jaipur Literary Festival 2023 in January, called ‘The Greatest Literary Show on Earth’, David Wengrow was in discussion with the archaeologist, author and winner of the 2021 PEN Hessell Tiltman Prize, Rebecca-Wragg Sykes.

“The Dawn of Everything provides an extraordinary perspective of human history and social evolution, challenging our most fundamental assumptions to reveal a broader scope for human emancipation. Authors David Graeber and David Wengrow study the origins of predominant theories of primitive ancestors, barbarianism, human instinct, the origin of states and civilisations and their ties to the conflict between European society and indigenous discourse.”

David discussed with Rebecca the conceptual shackles and the possibilities that emerge from their removal.

At the subsequent Kolkata Literary Meet, David appeared in two separate events. He was firstly in dialogue with the LSE anthropologist (and his former teacher!) Mukulika Banerjee.

He then was involved in a discussion with the internationally acclaimed author Amitav Ghosh on the topic: ‘Do we need a new history of humanity?’